


Different

by littlemissnicole



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-03
Updated: 2014-08-03
Packaged: 2018-02-11 13:53:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2070765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemissnicole/pseuds/littlemissnicole
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A different way Ed's first meeting with the Truth could've gone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Different

Ed looks around wearily. No, this wasn't what he wanted! Where was his mother? He needs to find her! For Al! Ed looked around, head frantically turning. 

An invisible vice wraps itself around his neck and Ed struggles, throwing punches as hard as he can. His struggling gets weaker, and as the world goes fuzzy, a vision of his mom flashes before him. Ed croaks out, "Let me go! I have to find her!"

It was if time itself had slowed. The grip on his throat loosens, and he falls to the floor. "What do you want, Mr. Al-chem-ist?" The voice was aloof, and definitely female. Ed coughs, struggling to get air in his lungs. "Tick tock, Mr. Alchemist. My time is precious, and you're wasting it."

Ed coughs again, managing to take a deep breath. "H-how do you know I'm an alchemist?" He asks. He glances around, but besides the vague shape of a person in front of him, there's nothing but white, stretching on forever.

"Quite simple really. Only alchemists are foolish enough to try and contact the Truth." The voice takes on a nonchalant tone. "So, who'd you try and bring back? Sister? Sweetheart?"

Ed recoiled as Winry's face flashes across his memory. "My mother." The thing's face begins to twist and morph. Suddenly, the face was hers. "Why am I here? Where is she?" 

The thing tuts. "So young..." It coos in his mothers familiar voice. "How old are you, Alchemist? Nine, ten?"

Ed glares. "Eleven." Snarling when it tuts again, he finds the strength to stand. Upon doing so, he asks it, "Who are you?"

His mothers face grins out at him. "I'm glad you asked that! I am one, or perhaps all. I am the Truth, but maybe I am a fever dream. Perhaps I am the one humans call God, perhaps I am but a figment of your imagination. What is very real, Mr. Alchemist, is that you need to pay my price."

Ed glares. "What price?"

His mothers grin flickers for a moment into confusion. "Oh, you haven't felt it yet? Hold on." The thing snaps, and Ed feels as if his head is going to explode. He grips his head between his fingers, and knows why he is here. Why it didn't work. Soon, the pounding subsides, and he looks back up at the Truth.

"I see what was wrong. Now, what's my price?"

The Truth just grins once more, and Ed starts to scream as what feels like burning knives begin to dig into his leg.


End file.
